2012 Nissan Maxima Sport Package on 2040-cars

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Carlos Ghosn takes a walk in a park, as lawyer apologizes for disguise

TOKYO — Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn was seen walking in a Tokyo park on Friday, two days after his release in a strange disguise from a Japanese detention center. Ghosn, this time in sunglasses and a Stanford baseball cap (his daughter Caroline's alma mater), was spotted outdoors twice on Friday, strolling outside in the crisp March air. He and several others, believed to be his wife and daughters, visited a downtown Tokyo garden as members of the media trailed them and watched. The intense media attention was what led Ghosn's lawyers to suggest he leave the Tokyo Detention Center after his release on bail Wednesday in a laborer's outfit of cap, surgical mask and high-visibility vest, attorney Takashi Takano said. Many were baffled by the somewhat transparent disguise, which has riveted Japanese tabloid media. One TV show re-enacted his departure. Takano said in a blog post that he took full responsibility for what he called the "theater of disguise." He apologized for its failure. The outfit was confusing but didn't deter media from tracking the small van he traveled in after his release, in a spectacle broadcast live on television. "My immature plan, as a result, has tarnished the reputation that he has devoted his whole life to build," Takano said of his client. Takano asked the media to respect Ghosn's privacy. That plea appeared to go unheeded as cameramen closely followed the celebrity executive as those walking with him stared straight ahead in apparent annoyance. Ghosn, who headed the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance, has been charged with falsifying financial reports, under-reporting his income and breach of trust in having Nissan Motor Co. shoulder personal investment losses and make payments to a Saudi businessman. He says he is innocent and that the income allegedly under-reported was never paid or decided, that Nissan never suffered the investment losses and the payments were for legitimate services. In Japan, suspects are routinely kept in detention until preparations for their trials are ready, meaning they are often detained for months. The court rejected two earlier requests by Ghosn for bail. Ghosn led Nissan for two decades, saving the Yokohama-based automaker from near bankruptcy. He was arrested on Nov. 19.

2014 Nissan X-Trail is the Rogue's identical twin [w/video]

Up until now, the Rogue and X-Trail were two different compact crossovers that competed in the same segment for Nissan, except one was sold only in the US and the other Europe. So why, Nissan asked, aren't they exactly the same? Thus, with today's reveal of the redesigned 2014 Nissan Rogue, our team on the ground at the Frankfurt Motor Show also met its new identical twin, the 2014 Nissan X-Trail.
Unlike the Rogue, the former X-Trail was a boxy thing that put on the airs of an SUV, so this new look is likely a larger departure for Europeans than it is for us 'Yanks. From what we can tell comparing their press releases, these two crossovers are practically identical save for the badge on their rear liftgates, both now offering an optional third row of seating and a slew of infotainment and active and passive safety features.
The one thing that may differ between the two are the engines on offer. While we know the Rogue has a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, Nissan's remaining mum on what will motivate the X-Trail. The prior model offered both gas- and diesel-powered models, which we feel safe in assuming will continue (perhaps opening the door for a diesel-powered Rogue in the US some day). Nissan says we'll know more closer to the X-Trail's on-sale date, which is stated simply as being "next year," whereas the Tennessee-built Rogue will be going on sale in the US this fall.

Intel-Mobileye tech in 2M BMWs, VWs, Nissans will crowdsource maps for autonomy

Intel Chief Executive Brian Krzanich said on Monday 2 million vehicles from BMW, Nissan and Volkswagen would use its unit Mobileye's technology to crowdsource data for building maps that enable autonomous driving. The world's largest chipmaker bought Israeli firm Mobileye last year to compete with peers such as Qualcomm and Nvidia Corp and tap the fast-growing market of driverless cars, filled with a complex tangle of alliances. (VW, for example, is also working with Nvidia.) Krzanich was the keynote speaker at the Consumer Electronics Show. He said data from Mobileye's Road Experience Management software would gather data to build and update scalable high-definition maps. He also announced that Intel would be working with Ferrari on AI drones to cover Ferrari Challenge North America Series racing. The drones would provide video of the races, but ultimately they would provide drivers with data — video that would let them see their racing performance from overhead, but also telemetry information about, say, how they enter and exit a turn. Intel will also tie up with SAIC Motor Corp, which will use Mobileye technology to develop Level 3, 4 and 5 autonomous cars in China, the chipmaker said. Krzanich also said Intel had not received any information of customer data being compromised so far after the company confirmed last week that security issues reported by researchers in its widely used microprocessors could allow hackers to steal sensitive information from computers, phones and other devices. Security researchers had disclosed two security flaws exposing vulnerability of nearly every modern computing device containing chips from Intel, Advanced Micro Devices and ARM Holdings. Reporting by Philip GeorgeRelated Video: Image Credit: Intel Auto News Green CES BMW Ferrari Nissan Volkswagen Technology Autonomous Vehicles CES 2018 nvidia intel mobileye